Hydraulic ram system having conditioning means to resist corrosion



April 10, 1956 K 2,741,091

J. A. HYDRAULIC RAM SYSTEM HAVING CONDITIONING MEANS TO RESIST CORROSION Filed Aug. 25, 1954 T40 F/ Z 97 45 49 I is 12 6f 5 a? 4 23 fl47: I. 44 5/2 35 34 e 36 35 7 L 43 fl LI; //Vl//V7'0,Q /3 5 5X Jahw 4 A415 United States Patent HYDRAULIC RAM SYSTEM HAVING CONDI- TIONING MEANS TO RESIST CORROSION John A. Kile, St. Cloud, Minn., assignor to Nationwide Sales Corporation, St. Cloud, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application August 25, 1954, Serial No. 452,149

5 Claims. (CI. 60-51) This invention relates to a hydraulic ram system and more particularly to a hydraulic hoist or jack which is subject to operation in a corrosive atmosphere.

Equipment and tools which are operated or stored in a corrosive atmosphere such as exists in radiator shops, lead burning establishments, soldering shops and numerous other technical manufacturing and repairing buildings, are subject to rapid deterioration and may be completely mined in a matter of several weeks or months unless proper precautions are taken to prevent the surface of such equipment and tools from becoming contaminated by the atmosphere. Radiator repair shops, in particular, have an atmosphere containing hydrochloric acid fumes because of the large quantity of hydrochloric or muriatic acid which is used in preparing surfaces to be soldered in the manufacture and repair of radiators. The tools and other equipment in such shops deteriorate rapidly. In the case of small tools such as pliers, screw drivers and the like, they may be replaced at low cost, but where electric motors, hydraulic equipment and the like are ruined in a short time, the large investment makes the corrosion a problem of great concern to the operators of the shops. This invention is particularly concerned with hydraulic jacks and hoists and it has been noted that where such equipment is employed in a radiator shop, they are not corroded when covered with oil at all times, but in those areas where oil is not constantly supplied, the acid fumes rapidly pit and corrode the equipment. It has been observed that piston cylinders which are subject to acid atmosphere quickly develop rough and dry surfaces and, where resilient piston members are employed, they also become rapidly worn and inoperative. Furthermore, after the corrosion sets in, the operation of the device is no longer smooth but becomes jerky and not dependable. Even where such hydraulic equipment is used everyday, the acid atmosphere within the cylinder attacks the dry surfaces during the night and soon will ruin the equipment.

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive hydraulic ram system where the parts normally subject to corrosion are easily and quickly'conditioned to constantly resist attack.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hydraulie hoist in which means are provided for displacing acid atmosphere from within the device and simultaneously for replacing the corrosive air with clean air bearing atom- :ized oil particles which coat the walls of the cylinders.

It is a further object to provide a hydraulic hoist in which the cylinder operates with a head of oil constantly supplied over the piston as well as underneath, the excess head of oil being returned to an oil reserve.

A still further object is to provide apparatus of the class described in which excess cylinder oil is safely accumulated during each day, and when the apparatus is 'shut down at night a portion of the excess oil is atomized and coated on the inside of the hydraulic cylinder, the remainder of the excess oil being permitted to flow back to a reservoir. J

' restricted manner.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of my hydraulic ram system, portions thereof being shown in vertical section; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of that segment of the device which includes the bottom of the cylinder and the piston assembly.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, my invention includes a hydraulic ram of somewhat conventional structure but having certain limitations for specific purposes as will be disclosed as this specification progresses. The hydraulic ram has an upstanding cylinder indicated generally at 10 andpreferably constitutes a lower straight portion 11 communicating with a somewhat enlarged upper cylindrical portion 12, the entire cylin der being mounted in fluid-tight relation upon a base member 13 and having a gland member 14 threadably mounted on the upper end of the cylinder and provided with a medial opening 15 through which a plunger or piston rod 16 can vertically slide. I prefer to maintain a slight clearance between the walls of opening 15 and the outer surface of piston rod 16 so as to permit the escape and entrance of air therebetween in a free but partially The piston rod 16 preferably comprises a tubular member of constant diameter which extends for the full length of the cylinder or barrel 10 and has disposedat its lower end a piston assembly 17.

The piston assembly is shown in detail in Fig. 2 and comprises a sealing ring 18 having a central opening 19 through which the reduced shoulder 20 of a fastening member 21 may extend. At the underside of the sealing ring 18 is a washer member 22 and another bearing member 23. A compression spring 24 is adapted to surround the reduced portion 20 of the securing member 21 and another washer 25 bears against the underside of the compression spring 24. A cotter key 26 is adapted to interfit with a transverse opening 27 so as to maintain the entire piston assembly under compression.

Means such as central opening 28 is provided for permitting seepage of fluid through the piston assembly from below the piston to the upper side thereof to maintain the entire piston assembly 17 in a bath of lubricating fluid such as oil. A bolt 29 containing a weep hole 30 may be threadably secured in the upper orifice of opening 28 to Fig. l. The reservoir 31 has fluid communication at- 33 with the lower end of hydraulic cylinder 19 and at a position beneath the piston 17. voir 31 communicates with a source of air pressure 34 through a valve mechanism 35 which is preferably of the three-way type, permitting compressed air to be introduced through orifice 36 so as to place fluid 32 under compression, or may be adjusted so that compressed air may be permitted to escape through the opening 37. The reservoir 31 may be physically canied as by bracket 38 to the side of hydraulic cylinder ram 10 for rigid support. A by-pass collector 39 is disposed in interconnecting relation with an upper portion of the cylinder 10 and the reservoir 31. This is best effected by an overflow pipe 40 which is connected with a lower part of the upper enlarged cylinder portion 12 and also an upper portion of the bypass collector 39. The lower portion of the bypass collector and preferably at the bottom 41 has fluid connection through tube 42 with the upper space 43 in the reservoir 31. A valve 44 is adapted to'open or close the tubular connection 42 as desired to Patented Apr. 10, 1956 The enclosed reseras a initiators t bs .42 area upwardly within the enclosed by-pass collector 39 and terminates in an open mouth 45 in spaced relation with externally of the by-pass collector 39 and hasv fluid communication with the upper portion oi the collector a 50 and with e owerp' rtion at 51- li i 'sla ss he 52 shows at all times the level of fluid 48 within the collector. v I

The. collector 39 a by-pass system forreturning fluid 3 which has ac cumulated. above thepiston asjsenibly ,17. w

' lug the use and p r t onso myhydra lm asys: term in ,corrosivelratmospheres suchas the acid-lad air of a radiator shop, .I utilize therant syst m tot ho stin radiators and other heavy equipment through the upwardly extending plunger or piston rod 16 and actua'te the assembly through the introduction of compressedghirin tube. 34 and controlled vby van/e35. whenair is permitted to enter under compression to the upper space and reservoir 3i p vide: a ni 43 .in reservoir v31, the fluid 32 which is preferably a lubricating oil having corrosion-inhibiting property, is caused to flow throughthe interconnection33 and force piston assembly .1 7 outwardly together with ...the piston rod 16. The small bleed hole the bolt 29 permits a constant seepage of the pressurized, fluid Jto collect above, the piston assembly and surrounds the lower end of piston rod 16'as shown in Fig. 1. Since the piston rodhas openings 54 to permit communication between the seep or bleed passageway'30 and the annular space i between piston 16 and cylinder walls 11, thefluidihead '30 is selected so as topermit a quantity offluidn'otiin excess of volume ofthe byt-pass collector39'to accumulate in a period of operation-suitable'tothe circumstances. This period is usually one days operation with the machine being shut down during thenight.

When it is de's'ir'ed'to dis continue operation of'th'ehydraulic system and its driven equipment,"the piston is 111M334 so as to sh -r m ds fi he n a 1f ie stly i fluid 53. Theivalve 35 isithen shut 'o'ft'fand valiie a is opened. The back pressure of the"space 43 within reservoir-61 will'cau'se air to surge upwa rdlyjthrough tube 42 and blow out the upperendof, the pipe so :as to im un level of br c t n fll ids let tdt erewifn- V in. As air continues to rush upwardly through the tube 42, collected oil 48 will flow into vthe small openings 47 and be atomized along with the air blowing through the tube. The air continues into the upper space within the enlarged portion 12 and downwardly into the hairrower portion 11 as thelp'iston a'ss'embly sinks 'do'wnwardly. All corrosive air which' has accumulatedwithin the cylinder'during' thedays operation isftliusj swept" out through the clearance between the g1; d piston rod 16 and at the same timetheijatommed oily fluid deposits a film of the oil over all of'the 'int'ernal parts which were'previousllyexposed to the at rios phere. The system is' then allowed to come to rest completely protected from corrosion and ready for operaass" on the following day; 7

It may thus be observed that I have devised a hydraulic ram system which will preserve the utility of the ram over extended periods of time, even in the presence of strongly corrosive atmosphere, the parts being easily and quicldy maintained out df coint act with corrosive air by simple and novel by-pass means. At the same time, the system also provides a continuous bath of lubricating fluid above and below the piston so as to insure smooth and easy operation. 1 p 7 q 7 V It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention. a a

What is claimed is:

l. In a hydraulic ram system adapted to be operated in a corrosive ,atmosplgere, said ram having a cylinder, a piston, a'fluid reservoir and a fluid pressure communb cation from the reservoir through an enclosed end, of the cylinder at one side the piston for actuating the ram, the combination of bleed means supplying continuouisly at least a small head of fluid through the cylinder to the other side of the piston to maintain the .piston ina bath of fluid, a valved by-pass interconnecting the space in the cylinder at said other side of the piston and the reservoir for returning excess head of fluid to the reservoir, and an air pressure connection with the .valved by-pass for supplying air reversely through the bypass for sweeping out corrosive gas in said space in the cylinder with atomi zed fluid, said atomized fluid being supplied from a portion of the by-passed excess am f ui s 1 .7 2'. In a hydraulic ram system adapted to be operated in a corrosive'atmosphere, said ram having a cylinder, a piston, a timid reservoir anda fluid-pressure communication from the reservoir 'through an enclosed end of the cylinder at one side of the-piston for actuating the ram, the combination of means for supplying at-least a small liead of fluid through the cylinder to'the other side of the piston to maintain the piston in a lubricating and corrosive-inhibiting bath of fluid, a valved by-pass'interconnecting the space in the cylinder at said other side of the piston and the reservoir, and an atomizing tube located in saidby-pass and adaptedto permit excess head of fluid to be returned downwardly therethrough to the reservoir and'to permit upward flow of'pressurized air for sweeping but corrosive atmo'spherefrorn the space in the cylinv der and replacing the corrosive atmosphere with non corrosive air having atomized particles therein.

3. A hydraulic ram system for resisting attackby corrosive atmosphere comprising, an upstanding hydraulic cylinder, apiston rod disposed'within the cylinder and having an extension torapplying. force and movement externally of the cylinder, a piston secured to the pistonrod and slidable vertically within said'cylinder, a reservoir adapted to contain lubricating and corrosion-inhibiting fluid and having connection for sup'plying the-fluid therefrom under pressure to said hydraulic cylinder beneath the lowermost stop position of saidpiston, means'supplying said'fluidto space in said cylinder aboYe thqp SQ1I to maintain continuously'thereover a head of fluid,--an-enclosed by-pass oollectorhaving overflow fluid communication with an upper part of the cylinder for collecting excess fluid' f rom above the piston during operation of the ram system, and a valved interconnection disposed in 7 communication with the by-pass collector and with the reservoir, sai d yalved interconnection inopen position permittingfirstexhaust air from the reservoir to atomize a portion of; said fluid; and sweep out corros ive}airfrom within the cylinder while depositing a film of fluid onthe inner walls of 1 the cylinder then; permitting the collected fluid in the collector to drain back into the reservoir. 7

14 The combination, with "an upstanding hydraulic cylinder, a piston member slidably disposed with n the cylinder, and a reservoir of hydraulic fluid adapted to be supplied under pressure to the cylinder below the piston, of seepage means communicating between the reservoir and the space above said piston for permitting the slow accumulation of a head of fluid over the top thereof, a bypass collector communicating between the reservoir and an upper position of said cylinder for returning excess fluid from above the piston to the reservoir during operation of the piston member, and tubular means communicating with said by-pass collector and having a nozzle portion disposed vertically therewithin for permitting excess fluid to flow therethrough to the reservoir and permitting pressurized air to flow upwardly therethrough while atomizing a portion of said excess fluid for sweeping out corrosive air from within the entire cylinder.

5. In a hydraulic ram system adapted to be operated in a corrosive atmosphere, said ram having a cylinder, a piston, a fluid reservoir and a fluid pressure communication from the reservoir through an enclosed end of the cylinder at one side of the piston for actuating the ram, the combination of bleed means supplying continuously at least a small head of fluid through the cylinder to the other side of the piston to maintain the piston in a bath of fluid, a collector for overflow of said small head of fluid communicating with the cylinder at said other side of the piston, and air pressure-meansadapted to atomize at least a portion of the overflow fluid and communicating with said other side of the piston in said cylinder to reversely sweep out corrosive atmosphere therefrom and to coat exposed parts with atomized fluid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

